Individually wrapped frozen confection or desert cones are well known. Specifically, frozen dessert cones have an edible cone-shaped container (e.g., a sugar cone or the like) which is filled with a freezable dairy product, such as ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt or the like. The filled cone is covered with a conformably shaped paper or foil wrapper which is usually closed at its upper end by a lid. When the frozen confection is desired to be consumed, the lid and wrapper are removed thereby allowing the cone and its frozen dairy product to be eaten.
The automated production of frozen dessert cones is well known, for example, through U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,768 to Getman (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference). In general, frozen dessert cones are produced by intermittently advancing a nested cone assembly (comprised of the frustroconically shaped edible prebaked cone and its conformably shaped paper overwrap) through a succession of stations. Thus, for example, an atomized spray of chocolate (or other flavored syrup) may be sprayed on the interior surfaces of the edible cone prior to the cone being filled with a freezable dairy product. Thereafter, a topping of chocolate (or other flavored syrup) and nuts may be applied immediately upstream of a lid applicator. The finished product is then ejected from its conveyance track and subjected to freezing conditions.
The spray nozzles employed to spray liquid syrup under pressure into the cones may need to be repaired and/or replaced periodically. However, conventional syrup spray systems do not readily allow the nozzle assemblies thereof to be readily removed thereby resulting in undesirably long production stoppages. Therefore, it would be especially desirable if a syrup spray system were provided which allowed for the spray nozzle assemblies to be relatively quickly removed. It is toward providing such a system that he present invention is directed.
In preferred embodiments, the syrup spray systems of this invention include a manifold block defining a bore therethrough. At least one nozzle assembly is provided in fluid communication with the bore of the manifold block and having an actuator stem reciprocally movable between an inoperative condition (in which liquid syrup in the bore is prevented from being sprayed into an awaiting cone), and an operative condition (in which liquid syrup in the bore is sprayed into an awaiting cone). A control cylinder moves the actuator stem between the operative and inoperative conditions and is coupled removably to the actuator stem. In such a manner, the manifold block and the at least one nozzle assembly thereof may easily be removed from the control cylinder to permit repair and/or replacement thereof.
These, and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.